Wayne Allyn Root's Blog

Hockey Mom and Hunter Leaves Two United States Senators as Road-kill!

Wayne Allyn Root — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:20:00 GMT

That should be the headline in newspapers around the world this morning. A couple of weeks ago I took off my Vice Presidential hat to act as political commentator and pundit to critique Barack Obama's V.P. choice of Joe Biden. I called it a terrible choice, a bland choice, and strategically, a failure. As a matter of fact, strategically, BOTH parties blew it. If Obama picks Hillary (and her 18 million primary votes) he has a good chance of sitting in the White House. But Joe who? From Dela-where? The guy known for plagiarizing his speeches? After watching last night's Sarah Palin performance, I can only say, now, that Obama's best shot at victory is if Biden plagiarizes Palin's speech!

Now, don't get me wrong. McCain and the GOP also made a strategic mistake. Winning the Presidency is all about electoral votes. If McCain picks Mitt Romney, he probably guarantees himself the White House. Nevada (my home state) might be the crucial battleground state in 2008. If the Republicans don't hold it- they lose. PERIOD. Nevada is 25% Mormon (believe it or not). Nevada loves Mitt Romney. He won the GOP Primary here. McCain came in third (behind Ron Paul). 'Nuff said. But even more importantly, from a strategic standpoint, Romney gives McCain a great shot to win Michigan, too (his home state- his dad was Governor). Michigan is the ultimate prize with 17 electoral votes. Take Michigan from Obama's column- that's a 34 electoral vote turnaround. Obama cannot recover from that knockout punch. Bar the door, Katie; game, set, and match for McCain. And, as a bonus, McCain said the economy isn't his strong suit. It is certainly Mitt's (the $300 million dollar man). Weakness solved. But alas, it wasn't to be.

Enter, Sarah Palin, stage right. Romney no longer matters. He, too, is road kill. Handsome, dashing, smart, but suddenly outed as boring. Huckabee was considered glib, colorful and funny- until last night. Compared to the hockey mom/pit bull Palin, Huckabee too is now road kill. Guliani was considered a vicious New York pit bull, until last night. But, no one can play pit bull better than a beautiful, sweet, Hockey Mom. A pit bull, with lipstick and high heels. Good luck to Joe Biden. He'll need it.

A pit bull Hockey Mom just left most of America's most gifted male politicians (and orators) dead in the middle of the road. She sliced and diced Obama, last night, like a wood chipper. Obama's political career is lying in pieces, in a ravine somewhere in Alaska- with snowmobile tracks leading from the carnage.

Palin's line about a “community organizer” being about the same as a small town Mayor...”except the mayor has responsibilities” was a hockey puck to Obama's groin. Then, she finished Barack off, by referring to his fake Greek columns being carted back to Hollywood. Ouch! I could hear every guy in Middle America screaming in laughter. With one line she emasculated Barack's entire fake career. Then, the hunter shot him once more for good measure with the line about Obama saying nice things to small town America to their faces...then badmouthing them when he's back in San Francisco. Did the body move on that last shot? Or was he already finished off? Hard to tell.

You've got to admire a hunter who can shoot that accurately in high heels. I could see every hunter, fisherman, gun owner, steel worker, and every working mom and housewife who has ever felt unrepresented or demeaned in Washington D.C., high-fiving and screaming in joy. Sarah Palin was the star of “9 to 5” last night. The small town secretary gutted her male boss and took over the CEO job…with a smile and a wink.

She not only sliced, diced and embarrassed her political opposition, she defeated the entire media elite and the “Beltway Insiders.” She left them all gasping for air, on their knees, pleading for mercy from the professional huntress. Palin's speech was a verbal fusillade to the imaginary heart of every elite liberal snob in America.

“The great community organizer” is on life support this morning wondering if anyone got the license plate of that Hockey Mom. About the only thing she left out was a little something with which I would have ended my speech:

“And to you, the elite media and press... Please keep writing lies, slanders, and half truth´s, about me and my beautiful children -- because, let me tell you something about small town people: we don´t live in just Wasalia, Alaska, or Mizzoula, Montana, or Sheep´s Creek, West Virginia…or Lyons, Nebraska. We also live in Detroit and Cleveland and Pittsburgh and Chicago, AND here´s some news for you....we even live in New York City... and every time you sit in your ivory towers and write your vicious, elite, smug lies, you send another thousand voters to me and John McCain. Keep writing; I beg you- keep writing.”

Yes, I think “Mrs. Smith is headed to Washington.” In real life. Sarah Palin is playing Reece Witherspoon in “LEGALLY BLONDE” - except Sarah's brunette and she's got a hunting rifle. You remember how that ends don't you?

As Don King would say “Only in America.” But, isn't that what makes America great? Sarah Palin isn't perfect. As a matter of fact, her personal life may be a mess. But who cares? She's charming and refreshing and, as we say back in New York, she has chutzpah! You gotta love her. That was a performance for the ages- with the gossip and rumor mills going at hyper speed, and the vicious D.C. press corp. literally on her heels, she walked onto that stage with ice water in her veins, pulled the trigger and hit the bulls eye. Dead Center! It can't happen in France. It can't happen in China. It can't happen in India (think caste system). It can't happen anywhere else. Only in America can a small-town gal and hockey mom with 5 kids get a chance to slice, dice and humiliate the most powerful men in the political world- and beat them at their own game.
Wasilla, Alaska 10
Washington D.C. and Chicago, Illinois 0
Game on.

From one S.O.B. (son of a butcher), small town boy, street-fighter, small businessman, home-school dad and citizen politician…to another- Congratulations Sarah for serving notice to the Hollywood, Manhattan and D.C. pompous, snobby elite class that it's time for real change. I'll see you in Washington D.C.

Somehow, I think, from this moment on, things will never be the same. Real Americans have served notice: we are taking back America. And, to the Obamas and Bidens and old school boys, I say- “be afraid, be very afraid!”

Wayne Root is the Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee on the Libertarian Presidential ticket of Bob Barr/Wayne Root. His web site is: www.ROOTforAmerica.com.

Obama: Snatching Defeat From the Jaws of Certain Victory

Wayne Allyn Root — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 02:16:41 GMT

I wear two hats. One is the Vice Presidential nominee of the Libertarian Party. The other is as a political pundit, analyst and oddsmaker. In that second role, I can state unequivocally that Barack Obama has suffered one of the (if not the) worst months in modern political history. It can only be described as a disaster for Democrats. Obama has gone from prohibitive favorite to underdog in the blink of an eye. It now appears the shoot-ourselves-in-the-foot Democrats have managed to pick the one candidate who could possibly find a way to lose to John McCain.

A big part of Obama's disastrous plunge in the polls was his response (or lack of a response) to the energy crisis. Obama and his Democratic co-horts (led by Nancy Pelosi) refused to acknowledge that tough situations call for a change in tactics- in this case the acknowledgement that the American people demanded immediate action to lower pump prices and limit our dependence on foreign oil. McCain seized the issue and the momentum by supporting offshore drilling. Obama (and House Speaker Pelosi) looked weak, indecisive and uncaring about the pain being felt by Americans. Worse, they appeared beholden to a radical out-of-touch environmentalist lobby.

Another big part in this turnaround was Obama's triumphant trip to Germany. Americans don't care if 200,000 Germans love Obama- to the contrary; we tend to take that as a sign that a candidate is doing something wrong. Two hundred thousand screaming, cheering Germans may scare France into surrendering, but it makes Americans angry, nervous and suspicious. We want a candidate who understands that he's running for President of the United States, not Chancellor of Germany.

The third issue that contributed to the swift downfall of Obama was the economy- Obama talked nonstop about "change" for months with no debate, no discourse, no challenge. Of course not- he was in the middle of a Democrat primary filled with liberals all agreeing to dramatically increase taxes on successful Americans. Not much opposition to be found there. Now that he's in a real race, facing real opposition, it has become obvious that the kind of "change" Obama is referring to is a throwback to old-school, tax-and-spend, soak-the-rich, redistribute-the- wealth Democrats like George McGovern, Michael Dukakis, Walter Mondale and Jimmy Carter. Under scrutiny, it turns out that the "great uniter" actually has the most liberal voting record in the entire United States Senate. The light bulb finally went off for many Americans about what Obama means when he talks about “change”- Socialists like Obama not only want all of our income, now he wants our change too!

Then came perhaps Obama's biggest mistake of all- his choice for Vice President. Well picking Hillary Clinton as his V.P. would certainly have defined "change." Obama would have made a bold statement- not only by picking a woman, but a woman who garned 18,000,000 primary votes. A woman who stood toe-to-toe with Obama, and gave him everything he could handle- and then some. What an electrifying choice! In one swoop, Obama would have energized the Democratic base; excited millions of female voters; united Hillary's skeptical supporters; and proved he was the leader of a bold new generation. Obama/Clinton was the opportunity to create a once in a lifetime "Dream Team."

Instead Obama proved that he is in fact the 21st century McGovern- ultra-liberal, indecisive, and able to snatch defeat from the jaws of certain victory. Did Obama really announce Joe Biden as his V.P.? Joe who? From Dela-where? Is it possible that the man who claims to represent change picked a 35 year United States Senator? A member of the ultra-establishment "Beltway Insiders" boys club for the past 35 years? The same Joe Biden who has been in office longer than half of all Americans have been alive? The same Biden who voted for the Iraq War? The same Biden who complimented Obama by describing him as "clean" earlier in the primaries? The same Biden who stated in a Democratic debate that Obama was inexperienced and not ready to serve? The same Biden who said in response to a tough reporter's question, "My I.Q. is higher than yours"? The same Biden who claimed to have earned three college degrees, but in fact only earned two? The same Biden who claimed to have gotten a full scholarship through law school, when in fact he didn't?

Could it possibly be the same Biden that was forced out of the Presidential race in '87 because he PLAGIARIZED speeches? Just what we need in America- another thief in politics. Is it possible that Obama's advisors are too young to know that Biden plagiarized speeches in '87? This is Obama's version of change? Well a Vice Presidential candidate who admits stealing speeches from others is definitely a change. What's the new Democrat Slogan? “We'll either bring you change- or steal it from others.”

Obama can't be too proud of his pick either. He announced it on a Saturday. Strange. Mysterious. Inexplicable. I've been in the media business my entire life. Nothing of any importance is ever announced on a weekend. EVER. Unless it's bad or embarrassing news- and you don't want the media to notice. Good news, groundbreaking news, or exciting news gets announced on a Monday. If Biden was "Saturday news" what does that say about Obama's faith in Biden?

This country is desperately looking for change. Polls prove that almost 80% of the electorate thinks America is headed in the wrong direction. Neither McCain nor Obama will change that direction. A vote for McCain is a vote for 4 more years of Bush. That means dramatic expansion of government; more violations of our rights and personal freedoms; and endless wars across the globe. But a vote for Obama is a vote for 4 years of Karl Marx- even bigger government, endless tax increases, and the largest redistribution of wealth ever. Neither of those is the change the American people are looking for. Only a vote for the Libertarian Ticket of Barr/Root can bring true change- dramatic cuts in government, lower spending, lower taxes, more freedom, more power to the people. Only a vote for Barr/Root brings both economic freedom and personal freedom. And as a bonus- no plagiarism.

Wayne Root is the Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee on the Libertarian Presidential ticket of Bob Barr/Wayne Root. His web site is: www.ROOTforAmerica.com.

The Nevada Model for America

Wayne Allyn Root — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:53:31 GMT

My name is Wayne Root. I am the Vice Presidential nominee on the Libertarian Presidential ticket of Barr/Root (with my running mate, former 4-term Congressman Bob Barr). I am proud to have no prior experience as a politician and no connection of any kind to government. What I am is a common sense, no-nonsense, “Citizen Politician”- the first small businessman and home-school father on a Presidential ticket in modern political history. The only government check I have ever seen is an IRS refund of my own money and a student loan that I paid back in full. That loan, by the way, helped pay my way through Columbia University Class of 1983, the same graduating class as Barack Obama.

Perhaps most importantly, I am the first Nevadan ever on a Presidential ticket. It is my Nevadan roots (excuse the pun) that I'll address in this column. I believe that it is time for the “Nevada model” to be adopted by the entire country- smaller government, lower taxes, free enterprise, rugged individualism, self-reliance, personal responsibility, individual rights, and FREEDOM- both economic freedom and personal freedom. I am proud to be a Nevadan. The biggest difference between Las Vegas and Washington D.C. is that in Las Vegas, the people gamble with their own money- as opposed to Washington D.C. where the politicians gamble with the taxpayers' money.

In direct contrast to the big-government, big-spending, big-tax, Nanny State career politicians of the D.C. Beltway, Nevada has zero state income tax, zero business income tax, zero inheritance tax, and property taxes limited by law to 3% per year increases (with a citizen initiative underway to lower them further).

Even more important, when you have no business income taxes, you also have less rules, regulations and bureaucracy, as well as no Gestapo-like state tax authority. Therefore it is easy to open and grow a small business in Nevada. That could be why Nevada has led the entire nation in small business creation and “Brain Gain” (college graduates moving to Nevada) for most of the last two decades. How important is the creation and success of small business? Small business now produces 75% of new private sector jobs. Small business is the economic engine of America.

I am proud to have spent my career in the 25 years since graduating Columbia University, creating small businesses, risking my own money, creating jobs, paying payrolls and health insurance for my employees, and pumping tens of millions of dollars into the American economy. It is telling to contrast my choices with those of my college classmate Barack Obama- who graduated on the same day 25 years ago. While I chose low-tax, small government Nevada as my home, Barack chose Illinois- one of the highest tax states in America. A place where big government is king, and runs roughshod over the rights of citizens and taxpayers. Barack in his 25 years since graduation has never started a business, never risked his own money on the American Dream, never created a single job, and never paid any employees' health insurance. Our lives and choices present quite a contrast.

Lower taxes leads to economic freedom - the freedom to keep more of your own money and make your own decisions on how to spend (or save) it. I believe that individuals always make better spending decisions than government bureaucrats. Often that decision is to start their own small business- which in turn creates more jobs, more tax revenues, and fuels the economic growth of America. But politicians like Barack Obama and John McCain wouldn't know a thing about starting a small business or creating jobs- it's something they've never experienced.

In addition to economic freedom, the Nevada Model has created a unique, Libertarian form of personal freedom. In an upcoming issue of Reason magazine, Las Vegas is rated the #1 major city in America for personal freedom (out of 35 big cities examined on a range of issues).

What does Nevada's rare combination of economic and personal freedom really mean? It means remarkable success. Americans are voting their approval with their feet (and their assets). For twenty of the past twenty-one years Nevada has been the #1 population growth state in America and the U.S. Census Bureau projects that trend to continue for the next 25 years. (That is provided, of course, that our own entrenched bureaucratic politicians do not destroy the goose that is laying the golden eggs.)

How has Nevada been able to keep its state government under control? Simple. Our Nevada founding fathers, in their infinite wisdom, limited the damage that politicians can do by creating a part time “Citizen Legislature” that meets for only a few months every 2 years, making it difficult (although not impossible) for politicians to damage our economy, complicate our lives, and violate our freedom.

Want proof that politicians do more damage than good? A new mutual fund called the Congressional Effect Fund proves that the more politicians rule, the more damage they do. The fund, run by Eric Singer, examined the effect of politicians on our economy since 1965- it then invests its funds based on this model. The results are astounding. During the past forty-three years the stock market has been up 1.6% when Congress has been in session. When Congress is out of session, the market is up 17.6%- concrete proof that the more politicians do, the worse it is for the people (especially taxpayers, investors, and job creators). Our Founding Father (and my political hero) Thomas Jefferson, the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence, put it best, “The government is best, which governs least.”

Today your choice as a voter is no longer between a “Conservative Republican” or “Liberal Democrat.” I call Republicans and Democrats big and bigger, dumb and dumber. They both have the same goal- acquiring more power for themselves, and more control over your life. The real choice in this 2008 election is the choice between an “Entrenched Bureaucratic Politician” (both parties fit that bill) or a “Citizen Politician” represented by the BARR/ROOT Libertarian Ticket, who truly cares about the economic and personal freedoms of the citizens and taxpayers of the United States of America.

As Vice President, I want to spread the Nevada model of economic and personal freedom from coast to coast. The ONLY way to make a change from Big Brother and bigger government, to more power for the people, is to elect anti-establishment, anti-status quo, “anti-politicians” from outside the Beltway. We need to elect politicians who understand the best government is that which governs least. It is time to elect politicians who will downsize and dismantle government- politicians not afraid of limiting their own power and influence. The day has come to give power and their own money back to the people. It is time for a political Hippocratic Oath: Above all else, DO NO HARM. Perhaps it is time for a small businessman, home-school dad, citizen politician from Nevada to show the country how it's done- the Nevada way.

Wayne Root is the Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee on the Libertarian Presidential ticket of Bob Barr/Wayne Root. His web site is: www.ROOTforAmerica.com.

Government Should Leave Home Schooling Families Alone, Says Wayne Allyn Root

Wayne Allyn Root — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:11:00 GMT

Henderson, NV -- .There is no more important task for a parent than the education of one.s children. That responsibility belongs to parents, not the government,.
insists Wayne Allyn Root, the Libertarian Party candidate for vice president. .As a home school parent myself, I know how important it is for government to not
interfere in the education process..

Yet the city of Washington, D.C. has issued new regulations that for the first time in 15 years anywhere in America increase government control over
home-schooling. .Given the abysmal job performed by the District public schools, the D.C. government should be encouraging, not discouraging home schooling,.
says Root. .It is the height of arrogance for this school system with its poor performance to sit in judgment over the quality of parental instruction..

Home schoolers also have been under attack in California, Root observes, where a court recently ruled against home school parents, declaring that there is no
constitutional right to home school. However, he notes, .the U.S. Supreme Court once blocked a state attempt to outlaw private schools, explaining that 'the
child is not the mere creature of the state.' That principle is equally valid for home schooling..

"The good news in California," Root adds, "is that the state has dropped its action against the home schooling family. But the state legislature still should
act to protect the fundamental right of parents to educate their own children. The D.C. city council should do the same,. he says.

.There may be no better example as to how government has outgrown its original role than the fact that many people now believe education to be not a family, not
a local, and not a state responsibility, but a federal responsibility. That.s entirely wrong,. says Root. .There may be no more important liberty than the right
to care for one.s own family, including to ensure the proper education of one.s children. Bob Barr and I are dedicated to promoting that right in our campaign
for president and vice president..

Wayne Root and his wife Debra home school their 4 young children. Wayne is the first home school father on a Presidential ticket in modern history.

The Answer to the Energy & Economy Crisis: More Entrepreneurship, Less Government!

Wayne Allyn Root — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:00:13 GMT

Ask any American voter. The two biggest issues in this 2008 election are the economic crisis and the energy crisis. Seldom are there easy answers to such complex problems. But, not this time. The answer is simple- more entrepreneurship and less government!

That means deregulation and decontrol. It means lower taxes and more incentives for private investment. UNLEASH THE FREE MARKET. Government doesn't solve problems- government causes them. American entrepreneurs will solve our energy problem- if only government will get out of the way. And those same entrepreneurs and that same free market capitalism will put America on the road to solving our economic problems as well.

This energy crisis and the economic crisis go hand in hand (and to some extent, the terrorist crisis as well). America's oil purchases abroad account for almost half the U.S. trade deficit. Every dollar we spend on foreign oil is a dollar that could be better spent growing the U.S. economy. How do we find the money to buy all that oil? We borrow it from those same countries, many of whom hate us. What do they do with OUR money? They use it to fund terrorism!

So, how do we stop this vicious cycle? Simple- we get government out of the way. Please, do not get me wrong. There is one area in which I am in consensus with the environmentalists and the Democrats. There is no question that the only long term solution for America's energy independence is to wean ourselves off of fossil fuel (oil) and replace it with clean and renewable energy. The fact is, that process has been underway for years and I am in total agreement that it must be accelerated.

But, the reality is that it may take another 20-30 years to be accomplished. In the meantime, the answer is drill, drill, and drill some more. President Bush took a first step today by lifting the “Executive Ban” on offshore oil drilling. But that is only a small and symbolic start. Congress must throw out the government moratorium on energy exploration and production. Take the shackles off the oil and energy industries. Reduce the draconian bureaucracy that has not allowed the creation of a new oil refinery or nuclear power plant in over 30 years. Get government out of the way and let American ingenuity and entrepreneurship do what it has always done to make America the leading economic power in the world. Stop listening to liberal environmental extremists who want to drive America (by horse and buggy) back to the dark ages. They couldn't care less about the average working American. These radical environmentalists want to keep us all poor and beholden to them for handouts- that is how they buy your vote and keep themselves in power. It is time in my opinion to put the interests of Americans and the American economy FIRST.

Consider the Ethanol mess as “Exhibit A” for why government must get out of the way. Government bureaucrats and politicians always play “big shot” and try to pick winners versus losers. Why? To prove how important they are- to justify their big titles, big salaries and big egos. And, of course, to help a handful of friends and big industry insiders who just happen to contribute to their campaigns. But, what can you expect? They´re just about all lawyers (as well as career politicians), and when it comes to business it´s all lawyers know how to do- screw things it up! It is no coincidence when lawyers become politicians they act exactly the same way. But now, they get to do it with YOUR MONEY!

Take ethanol as an example. Government tried to solve the energy crisis by picking ethanol as the winner. Big mistake. Ethanol has not only done nothing to solve our energy crisis, it has caused a worldwide economic crisis. The corn crops now dedicated to ethanol production have produced a worldwide shortage of corn needed for food (as well as cattle/chicken feed). That has in turn spiked grocery prices, caused shortages at the grocery store, and incited riots across the globe. Yet gas prices continue to rise, because it actually takes more than a gallon of gas to create a gallon of ethanol. And, it turns out that ethanol causes more pollution than gas as well. The result is an energy and economic crisis caused by government.

Despite all this, the Presidential candidates from both major parties are still asleep at the wheel. They both talk change. But, the only “change” they bring to the table is more of the same tired big-government answers. Obama (the man with the most extreme liberal voting record out of 100 United States Senators) stands vehemently against drilling. He thinks government has the answer. He supports more of the same extreme environmental policies, heavy taxes, and big government regulation that got us to this crisis in the first place. John McCain is barely any better. He has just recently decided drilling is okay, but still refuses to allow any drilling in ANWR-- which potentially offers 10 billion (or more) barrels of oil to American consumers. Worse, McCain is a big believer in big-government solutions for global warming. His proposed energy policies will surely damage the American economy, cost millions of jobs, and raise our electric and gas bills dramatically. Make NO mistake- the election of either Obama or McCain will be a disaster for the American economy and consumers.

McCain's Republican Senate colleague John Warner proposes a big solution (drum roll please): lowering the national speed limit to 55 MPH. After 30+ years of inaction, the best Warner can come up with is more draconian federal government control over our lives and a violation of states' rights. It is safe to assume that neither Republicans nor Democrats offer a solution.

The answer is the free market, fiscally conservative principles of the Libertarian Party. We believe in putting American consumers and the American economy FIRST. These same common-sense principals that will work to solve the energy crisis, will also solve our Education and Health Care crisis'. It is this simple- Get government out of the way. Deregulate and decontrol free enterprise. Unleash American entrepreneurship and ingenuity. Encourage competition. Lower tax rates- individual, corporate, and capital gains to the lowest in the world. Then get out of the way. The greatest entrepreneurs in the world will lead this great nation to energy independence and the greatest economic boom in world history.
But first let's drill, drill and drill somemore. Build new oil refineries. Build new nuclear plants. Encourage oil shale exploration and gas to liquid production. Build new clean coal plants. Our country has one of the biggest deposits of coal on the planet earth. Find a way to burn coal without emitting hydrocarbons and we become one of the world's biggest energy EXPORTERS. We can beat the oil producing nations of the Middle East at their own game. We create millions of energy jobs. The trade deficit becomes a trade surplus.

The liberal mantra that removing government restrictions on drilling will not affect prices for 5 years is PURE BUNK! The day- yes the very day- that we truly deregulate and untie the hands of the energy entrepreneurs, oil prices around the world begin to drop dramatically. On that same day, the energy speculators and traders that are undoubtedly partially to blame for sky high gas prices, will have no choice but to sell their oil contracts with both fists. Look for this current “oil bubble” to end not just with a whimper- but a crash of epic proportions. And, this is a ¨crash¨ that every working American can cheer. It's time to let Libertarian free market ideas rule. It's time to elect a Libertarian Presidential ticket.

Mr. Root is a successful small businessman, entrepreneur, author, business speaker and commentator. He is currently the Vice Presidential nominee for the Libertarian Party on the Presidential ticket of Barr/Root.

For more on Wayne Root's views and commentaries go to: www.ROOTforAmerica.com or www.BobBarr2008.com

Is Our Government “Cooking the Books?”

Wayne Allyn Root — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:43:28 GMT

For months I've been saying on hundreds of TV and radio shows that the major advantage that I bring
as a Vice Presidential candidate is my background as a small businessman, home-school dad, and citizen politician. My greatest asset is the common sense of a common American citizen.

I'm proud to say I´m NOT your typical politician. I've never served in office; never worked in Washington D.C.; never collected a check from any government (state or federal); nor done business of any kind with government. What I have done my entire adult life is start businesses and create jobs by risking my own and my investors' money - not the government´s (that is, not YOUR money).
None of this year's major Presidential contenders- Barack Obama (my college classmate), Hillary Clinton, or John McCain has ever created a business or a job without government money. What could they possibly know about healing or growing the American economy? The answer is simple - NOTHING. Unless, of course, you consider spending your hard-earned tax dollars on ´Pork Barrel´ projects as valuable experience for a politician.

Most importantly, I want to stress the “small” in my small business experience. In modern political history there has never been a small businessman on a Presidential ticket. Most of our past Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates have been cut from the same mold- either spoiled brat, “lucky sperm club” members born to wealthy, connected fathers; wealthy out-of-touch CEO's of Fortune 500 companies; or career politicians who have lived their entire lives off of taxpayer-funded paychecks.
Today small business is the economic engine of America. We live in a “Small Business Economy”, where the majority of America's jobs are created by small business. Small business owners, men and women willing to risk their own money and security, are the backbone of the American economy.
Isn't it time we listened to these heroes of the American workforce? Isn't it time we elected someone who wants to support small business owners? Isn't it time we elected someone who understands the unique challenges and problems of small businessmen and women, and knows how to empower them to create more jobs and more prosperity for this nation?

Now I'm going to let you in on a deep dark secret you won't hear from clueless out-of-touch career politicians or government bureaucrats: We are in a RECESSION. And I believe it's a deep one- possibly the worst since the Great Depression. Despite government assurances that it has not occured yet, I believe we've been in this recession for over a year. How do I know? Just ask any small business owner. It's that simple. They are the “canary in the coal mine.” Small business feels a recession first; and they feel it the deepest. We can no longer rely on what the Fed says. What do blue-blooded Ivy League bankers from wealthy families know about the real world? Nothing. Nor can we rely on career politicians or government bureaucrats- few of them know anything about what's really happening in the business world. Worse, they are disingenuous. Their job is to deceive us.

What used to be a two party system has now sadly become one big bloated “cover your rear” bureaucracy with incumbent politicians and their friends at the Fed lulling us to sleep to convince us to support the status quo; behave like good little voters; and never throw the bums out of office who are responsible for running our country (and economy) into the ground. To achieve that end and prevent anger and panic, government leaders and bureaucrats will do whatever they need to do, including “cook the books” to stay in power. Amazingly, if a small businessperson reported his or her accounting in a way that was as misleading and inaccurate as the government does, they'd be thrown in jail for 20 years (or longer). And what is so sad, is that most politicians know so little about economics and business, they do not even know the difference.

The bottom line is that I believe that our government has NOT been truthful to us. Government statistics report we are not in a recession. Any small business owner knows that can only be classified as misleading propaganda. Those same government statistics report that inflation is under control. Any consumer who has spent 5 minutes in a grocery store or gas station knows that too is misleading propaganda. I don't need government economists or Fed bankers to tell me where the economy stands. I only need to listen to my friends who own small businesses on Main Street USA.

My friends can tell you we are in the midst of a deep recession. My friends are the very heart of America's “economic engine.” My friends don't fly private planes. They don't run billion dollar companies. I've never met billionaires like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Donald Trump or Steve Wynn.
I don't hang out with jet-setters. My friends own small businesses- restaurants, dry cleaners, real estate firms, mortgage firms. My friends are stockbrokers, real estate appraisers, insurance brokers. My friends are the very pulse of American business. These people understand business. They ARE the American economy. And they are in deep distress. This economy can best be described as being in crisis. Yet politicians on both sides of the aisle either haven't a clue, or are purposely misleading us.

According to small business owners, things are much worse than the government is telling us. My friends are 35 to 55 years old, and they tell me this is the worst economic downturn of their entire lives. Yet the government claims we are not in recession? Tell that to millions of successful small businesspersons who are seeing dramatic drops in their income. Tell that to small business owners who have made $500,000 a year for a decade or longer, but now are losing their business or their home (or both). Many have given up their entire salary in an attempt to keep their businesses alive. Increasingly, even that extreme sacrifice has failed and they´ve been forced to close their doors, leaving their employees without a paycheck. Small business owners are getting slaughtered. It's that bad in the real world- a world protected politicians, government employees, economists, and Fed bankers obviously know nothing about.

I have first-hand knowledge of this economic tsunami. First, I've spoken to hundreds of small business owners. The lucky ones, who are still in business, are reporting revenues down 20% to 30% over the last year. That's revenues we're talking about- not profits. For many there are no longer any profits.

Secondly, I know how bad it is, because I'm one of them. That's the big advantage of having a small businessman as a Vice Presidential candidate. I'm living in the trenches and I won´t hesitate to provide a dose of honesty and reality to the political process. Unlike politicians, economists, Federal Reserve bankers, out-of-touch CEO's, or the media, I actually understand first-hand what's happening on Main Street. And, I know when the politicians and government bureaucrats are feeding us a pack of lies.

Why would the government mislead us? Because keeping you in the dark is the only way to ensure that voters will march in lockstep like nice little sheep to the voting booth and once again vote for the same
Republican and Democratic career politicians who created this mess. The same politicians and bureaucrats who live off taxpayer checks. This Washington D.C. ruling class only cares about one thing- getting re-elected.

To sum it up, “The books are cooked!” Our government is misleading us. Take it from a small businessman- we are currently in recession; we have been in recession for a year or longer; and it's not getting better. The very people who created this mess are now trying to convince you that more government is the answer. Government grows bigger every day and our economic future gets worse and worse. Do you think maybe there is a connection there?

More government is not the answer. More of the same government is certainly not the answer. Electing
a politician from either of the two major parties is keeping the same government. Those are the people that got us in this mess in the first place. While small business is fighting for survival and cutting jobs, government is expanding, hiring more bureaucrats, and spending like a drunken sailor (no offense meant to drunken sailors).

The answer is less government, dramatically reduced spending, fewer government bureaucrats, and reduced bureaucracy. The answer is letting Americans keep more of their own money, and make their own decisions about how to spend it. The answer is to take the power away from the government and give the power back to the people- exactly as our Founding Fathers intended. What is it that these two-party establishment politicians don´t understand about the simple idea that: When times are bad, government must cut jobs and spending just like the rest of us!

How's that for honesty from a politician? All the more reason why we need to elect politicians who live in the real world; who run small businesses; who create jobs; who understand what is happening on Main Street, instead of only focusing on Wall Street. If given a choice, I'll listen to news-stand owners, taxi cab drivers, and restauranteurs over Wall Street bankers and hedge fund managers any day of the week.

My role as Vice President in a Barr/Root administration will be a unique one. I'll spend every waking hour working with small business owners; solving the unique issues and challenges unique to small businessmen and women; eliminating rules and regulations that impede small business growth; identifying wasteful government programs and slashing spending so taxes can be reduced, thereby allowing ALL Americans who want to achieve the American Dream to keep more of their own money, so they can open their own small business and achieve economic freedom. I will be the first “SMALL BUSINESS VICE PRESIDENT.” That is the true definition of power to the people. That is the advantage of voting for a third party, anti-establishment, anti-status quo Presidential ticket of Barr/Root.

Mr. Root is a successful small businessman, entrepreneur, author, business speaker and commentator. He is currently the Vice Presidential nominee for the Libertarian Party on the Presidential ticket of Barr/Root.

For more on Wayne Root's views and commentaries go to:
www.ROOTforAmerica.com or www.BobBarr2008.com

Supreme Court Gun Rights Decision Applauded by Libertarian Vice Presidential Nominee ROOT

Wayne Allyn Root — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:50:47 GMT

Wayne Allyn Root, Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee has
announced his support of the United States Supreme Court's historic
decision today. The Supreme Court Justices decided in
favor of firearm rights for all Americans.

Root, an enthusiastic gun owner himself, believes all law-
abiding Americans should have the right to keep and bear
arms to protect themselves, their families and property.

Root stated, “As a Jewish American, I understand very clearly the
importance of gun rights. They are a matter of life and death.
The first thing Adolph Hitler did before arresting, imprisoning,
torturing and murdering millions of Jews - including my relatives-
was to take their guns away.

The right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental right of
all Americans. That's why I'm a proud member of the Gun
Owners of America (GOA) and Jews for the Preservation
of Firearms Ownership (JPFO).

"It's also why I'm a Libertarian."

Root continued, “This decision upholds the precious Second
Amendment of our Constitution protecting the rights of all gun
owners and law-abiding Americans. Just as our Founding Fathers intended."

It should now be clear that power-hungry politicians and over-
reaching bureaucrats cannot disarm law-abiding Americans...
No matter where they live, no matter the color of their skin.

As Americans, we all have the same unalienable right to
defend ourselves and our families.

Urban areas with stringent gun control laws have far higher
crime rates, than where the rights of gun owners are protected.
Now, citizens of Washington, D.C. will have the same right
to defend themselves as other law-abiding Americans across
this great land.

The Supreme Court has unequivocally stated that power- as
per the Constitution- does not belong to Big Brother, it
belongs to us. We, the American people. This proves once again
that America is the greatest nation in history. God Bless America.”

For more information on the views of Wayne Root, please visit:
www.ROOTforAmerica.com or www.BobBarr2008.com

Re-Creating the American Dream- with LESS Government!

Wayne Allyn Root — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:41:15 GMT

By Wayne Allyn Root, Libertarian Party Vice Presidential candidate

An article of faith of the populist left is that there are too many rich people, who have too much income in the United States. They rant about this being a bad thing, aside from being grossly unfair, because it is the result of specific actions taken when fiscal conservatives have controlled the government. They believe that the principal cause of this appalling “inequity” is Ronald Reagan's Tax Reform Act of 1986, and of course George W. Bush's further transgression with his major tax cuts of 2001 and 2003. And of course the liberal “tax and spend; punish the rich; redistribute the wealth” crowd paints the CEOs who receive “unconscionable” multiples of the wages of their hourly workers as the prominent villains in this rich versus poor epic saga.

This political story line is useful for those who believe fermenting class hatred is the way to win the political wars. For anyone willing to examine data (aka facts), the real story is both dramatically different and more constructive, as well as instructive. A recently published research project Top Incomes Over the 20th Century (Edited by A. B. Atkinson and T. Piketty), uses income tax data to develop top income shares for 10 countries over long time frames. The data in the accompanying table (below) is extracted from the extensive tables contained in this book.


Income Before Tax  (in Percent Shares)
              Top 1%     Highest         Increase
                            Year          Since 1970
U.S.          14.7%          1913          +6.9
Canada        13.6%          1921          +4.6
U.K.          12.7%          1918          +5.6
Germany       11.1%          1938          -0.2
Ireland       10.3%           NA           +4.4
France        7.7%           1905          -0.6

What is the real story? The rich are indeed getting richer in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, as well as the United States. Using the Top 1% of income earners (which is where the most variation occurs), the share of income for this small minority follows a “U” shaped curve through time. Their percentage of total income was high before 1929; declined during the depression and WWII; and then began to recover in the past quarter century. But is this recent recovery bad? The Top 1% of incomes began to raise first in the United States, beginning in the late 1970s; then in the early '80s it spread to UK, Canada, Australia; by the late '80s it reached New Zealand. The trend has been nearly steadily upward; through the presidencies of Republicans and Democrats (Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton) alike in the U.S. and a mix of Labor and Conservative (right and left) governments in the other counties.

Across the board, the component of income that has risen the fastest is the infamous wage income (which includes stock options)- not dividends or capital gains. In fact the steady rise of top income shares for 30 years has resulted in this “richest 1%” gaining almost as high of a share as they had attained earlier in the last century.

However, in four of the 10 countries in the study the share of income of the top 1% has declined over time. These declines result from lower income from dividends and interest, not wages. For these countries wage income has been nearly flat for the whole period. Total income shares peaked in 1970 for Netherlands and Switzerland (8.6 and 11.0% respectively) and they have declined ever since. In France and Germany, the share of the top 1% has been flat- Germany at a high level (11%) and France at a low level (7.7%). If the critics of United States income distribution believe the top incomes must be reduced to attain some lower, fairer “more democratically optimal level,” it appears this could best be accomplished by pursuing the economic policies of, say, France.

But is France our role model? If France's economic policies do indeed promote “fairness” and equality, why are the headlines dominated by riots in France's poor neighborhoods? France is indeed “fairer” if what you mean by fair is that everyone shares the misery, everyone is unhappy, and everyone complains about a lack of opportunity. Because taxes are so high in France, the economy is stagnant, there is no job growth, opportunity for class mobility is nonexistent, and workers can never save enough of their own money to invest in stocks, real estate or start their own business (all of which results in capital gains- the fastest way to attain wealth). Is that what we'd like to see happen in the USA?

What is the more likely explanation for a growing share of income, and especially wage income, accruing to top income earners in countries like the United States? How about “market forces” being more important than government actions? Using a method other than taxes, one graph in the study depicts the “Globally Rich” (defined as those with 20 times the world mean income) as a percent of the world population. Not surprisingly this percentage declined the six decades prior to 1970, reaching a nadir of about 10%, and it has trended up ever since- reaching nearly 15% in the last year shown 1995.

The real mistake of the political left is to focus on government as the arbitrator of top income shares. Global competition, not government policy or pliant Boards of Directors, determine how talent is compensated. As global trade has thrived, competition has escalated, technology has accelerated decision-making, and global free markets have placed a premium on creativity, education and leadership talent. Then too, as the media has globalized and expanded, there is enormous demand for exceptional athletic prowess, coaching success, a lyrical voice or an exquisite look- meaning the global free market awards outsized compensation to entertainers and big producers of all sorts- actors, singers, athletes, coaches, artists (and of course executives, entrepreneurs, business owners, technology gurus). High demand in the free market and scalability of global media have created disproportionate rewards for the exceptional few.

Some will argue that the real solution to inequality is to raise marginal tax rates for the top bracket and redistribute more of this unfair “ill-gotten income” for humanitarian purposes. Economist Arthur Laffer has eloquently explained the error of that scheme previously. Say for example, you are a talented native of France, Switzerland or The Netherlands- where taxes are steeply progressive. Those high taxes often drive top earners, producers, creators, and business owners to relocate to low-tax domiciles such as Monaco, Lichtenstein or The Caymans- thereby encouraging the top earners and producers to choose to pay nothing in income taxes to their high-tax country of origin. High taxes therefore chase away the highest earners and thereby result in lower revenues for high-tax governments.

If tax rates in the United States become more progressive some portion of big earners,
producers, business owners and entrepreneurs will choose to either leave altogether or shelter their incomes offshore. Of those who choose to stay, they will (as always) choose to defer income, move income from wages to capital, and hire the smartest lawyers, accountants and lobbyists to pursue more esoteric but legal means of paying lower taxes. Higher tax rates will, without a doubt, cause less taxable income to be declared and slow the growth of reported income in the top brackets.

On a moral basis, most people- including many of the rich- would prefer for incomes to be more equitably distributed. And there is hope for this. Fifty years ago Simion Kuznets theorized that as the industrial revolution matured, more jobs would require more skill and would therefore become more highly paid- thereby drawing more income to the great numbers of workers in the upper middle class. This pattern held for much of the 20th century, until competitive dynamics changed. Still, the proportion of white-collar, highly compensated jobs has continued to grow as technology and complexity have affected the job market. In the world today, lack of education and skill are an increasingly severe handicap- in most cases THE severe handicap.

The real challenge then is to provide citizens with an abundance of skills and opportunities that result in high productivity and high pay. The most important thing that government can do to improve the economy is to get out of the way- shrink the size, scope, power and control of government over its people. But government does have at least a small role to play in this mission: Improve the quality of the education system (on the state level). Subsidize skill development. Foster investment that provides each worker with more capital. Keep inflation and the cost of capital low. Lower income tax rates so that its citizens can save the money necessary to invest in stocks, real estate and business start-ups. Lower capital gains tax rates so that those willing to take the risks, also receive the rewards. Foster and encourage risk, entrepreneurship and ownership (the surest ways to attain wealth).

The answer is not to take money away from the rich, or tax the rich to death (and even after death with high rates of “death taxes”). It is to create more opportunity and mobility for the poor and middle class. It is to make the “American Dream” realistic and available for all Americans. The answer is motivation- empower the poor and middle classes with the education, tools, capital and mobility (opportunity) to succeed. Give them the hope (and role models as proof) that the American Dream is alive and well- that anyone can move up from poor to middle class, from middle class to upper class, from upper class to wealthy, and you will see an economic tsunami like never before in history.

Stealing from the rich to hand entitlements they didn't earn to the poor is not the answer. No government will be successful over a sustained period of time in attempting to warp market outcomes with progressive taxation of highly skilled, highly productive income producers; or by attempting to cap the compensation of high-achievers; or by shaming decision-makers into accepting outcomes contrary to free market results. These liberal “tax and spend; punish the rich; redistribute the wealth” policies can only result in less total income; lower tax revenues; less motivation by the brightest and most productive members of society; less innovation and creation; retarded economic growth; and a far poorer populace.

The answer isn't bigger government; more government spending; more bureaucrats; more entitlements; more taxes; more control by government over the lives of its citizens; more Big Brother to rule our lives. All that does is create more misery. And more citizens that are best described as hopeless, helpless, aimless and clueless. Studies prove that those who depend on welfare and government entitlements feel a loss of control, freedom, satisfaction, and self worth. Every American wants the same things- freedom, control, mobility (the opportunity to move up from where we started), the ability to earn our own way, and the freedom to make our own decisions with our own money. The only way to achieve all those worthy goals is through smaller government, dramatically reduced government spending, lower entitlements, fewer bureaucrats (and reduced regulation), more economic freedom, free and unfettered markets, and a dramatically reduced tax burden so all Americans get to earn and keep more of their own money.

Mr. Root is a successful small businessman, entrepreneur, author, business speaker and commentator. He is currently the Vice Presidential nominee for the Libertarian Party on the Presidential ticket of Barr/Root.

For more on Wayne Root's views and commentaries go to:
www.ROOTforAmerica.com or www.BobBarr2008.com

Re-Creating the American Dream- with LESS Government!

Wayne Allyn Root — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:31:53 GMT

An article of faith of the populist left is that there are too many rich people, who have too much income in the United States. They rant about this being a bad thing, aside from being grossly unfair, because it is the result of specific actions taken when fiscal conservatives have controlled the government. They believe that the principal cause of this appalling “inequity” is Ronald Reagan's Tax Reform Act of 1986, and of course George W. Bush's further transgression with his major tax cuts of 2001 and 2003. And of course the liberal “tax and spend; punish the rich; redistribute the wealth” crowd paints the CEOs who receive “unconscionable” multiples of the wages of their hourly workers as the prominent villains in this rich versus poor epic saga.

This political story line is useful for those who believe fermenting class hatred is the way to win the political wars. For anyone willing to examine data (aka facts), the real story is both dramatically different and more constructive, as well as instructive. A recently published research project Top Incomes Over the 20th Century (Edited by A. B. Atkinson and T. Piketty), uses income tax data to develop top income shares for 10 countries over long time frames. The data in the accompanying table (below) is extracted from the extensive tables contained in this book.

Income Before Tax  (in Percent Shares)
                 Top 1%     Highest         Increase
                                      Year          Since 1970
U.S.           14.7%          1913          +6.9
Canada     13.6%          1921          +4.6
U.K.           12.7%          1918           +5.6
Germany   11.1%          1938           -0.2
Ireland       10.3%           NA            +4.4
France        7.7%           1905           -0.6

Political Grind

Wayne Allyn Root — Fri, 23 May 2008 15:15:06 GMT

PG Exclusive Interview: Wayne Allyn Root steps up as “rebel with the pitchfork,” seeks Libertarian nod

Pulling out his veto pen on March 8, 2008, President George W. Bush was able to successfully thwart congressional efforts to ban the use of certain harsh interrogation tactics by Central Intelligence Agency officers. This veto marked only the ninth of his near six and a half year presidency, the fewest by any Commander in Chief dating back to the Civil War. The two exceptions being Warren Harding who died two years into office and James Garfield, assassinated just six months after inauguration.

One presidential candidate, Wayne Allyn Root of Nevada, hopes to reverse this, promising to use his veto power widely and frequently if elected this November. Root, the millionaire Las Vegas odds maker, author, celebrity, and television personality is one of many candidates seeking the Libertarian Party nomination in their upcoming May convention in Colorado. Armed with two million fans in his database, Root is seeking to deliver the message of personal freedom, state's rights, and low taxes.

“I love the smell of vetoes in the morning,” declares root on his web page. Root pledges to depart significantly from the Bush administration by issuing more vetoes than any other president in history-even Franklin D. Roosevelt, who issued a whopping 635 of them during his tenure (or 25 percent of all presidential vetoes ever issued).

Recognizing the problematic nature of the Line Item Veto, struck down in 1998 by the Supreme Court, Root advocates a much more powerful tool allotted to the president, a little-known power known as “impoundment.” This particular act occurs when a president seeks to delay or eliminate the use of congressionally approved funds-an act that has traditionally been opposed by Congress.

Following President Thomas Jefferson's lead, Root will return what he sees as unconstitutional congressional expenditures back to the United States Treasury rather than permit said funds to be used in violation of Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution.

“Many presidents have exercised this power ever since, the last being Richard Nixon, who attempted to curb runaway spending,” says Root. “But Congress-at a time when Nixon was weak from his criminal scandals-seized the opportunity to overstep its bounds by passing the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, which took away the president's unilateral power not to spend money. Nixon's argument was based on Executive powers, and not on the Constitutional duty of the Presidency.”

Root plans on using impoundment in the same way Jefferson did in 1801 when he returned $50,000 to the U.S. Treasury rather than spending it on a number of Navy gunboats. “This President will impound every last red cent of spending that violates the Constitution,” according to Root. This means goodbye to hundreds of federal programs that fail to meet constitutional consent: African Development Foundation, Agency for International Development, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms, Commission on Civil Rights, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Election Commission (FEC), International Monetary Fund, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Tennessee Valley Authority, Women's History Commission, and hundreds (if not thousands) more.

Root will head to the Libertarian Party convention, taking place May 22-26, with a small government message that not only emphasizes the traditional views of the Republican Party, but also the some ideas being ignored by both major parties. Root, a self-described S.O.B. (son of a butcher), says that the “Very first cabinet position to eliminate will be the Department of Education.”

A Reaganesque proposal, Root hopes to use this issue, as well as his plan to “end all federal income taxes immediately and move all of them to the state level” to win disaffected members of all parties. “The Founding Fathers never envisioned a government that could take away 50 percent of the money we make,” claims Root. “I will push for an end to all federal income taxation, even opposing the Fair Tax, which will place a 30 percent sales tax on everything we buy and amounts to a big welfare program.”

“I plan on taking millions of votes away from the Republicans,” says Root, who is also an opponent of warrant-less wiretaps, eminent domain abuse, and Real ID. “McCain is a big government conservative who wants to fight wars all over the world. There is nothing conservative about neocons. The majority of Republicans believe in smaller government, lower taxes, and patriotism that doesn't try to stuff democracy down people's throats. I am going after the millions of disgusted, disgruntled Republicans and the 27 million small businessmen and women in America.”

Root also differs with McCain on the Iraq War, thus offering up the possibility of attracting Democrats and independents to his cause. While McCain favors keeping U.S. forces in Iraq for the next 100 to 1,000 or 1,000,000 years if necessary, a Root presidency would admit that the Iraq war was a mistake, admit the post-war planning was a disaster, and finally acknowledge that a civil war situation currently exists in Mesopotamia. He also differs from McCain in his opposition to nation building, an effort that McCain has long supported.

Recognizing that the United States is locked in a war with radical Islam, Root could be the one presidential candidate who believes that Iraq should be helping pay for the war, which according to Boston University Professor Andrew Bacevich, is costing the United States $3 billion per week and $22 billion in total aid and assistance to the Iraqi military as of this month. Root also calls for drastically reduced foreign aid, more oversight of government spending at the Pentagon, and a cut in spending at the United Nations.

Root plans to lead the charge on fiscal conservative issues and tap into the large number of voters who gravitated to Texas Congressman Ron Paul's campaign this year. “On fiscal issues, I'm straight up conservative,” says Root. “Someone needs to lead the movement away from the nanny state.” Emphasizing his pitch to supporters of Paul's campaign, Root stresses that he is “Ron Paul with one little difference-a quarter of a century from now, I'll be younger than Ron Paul is today. I'm Ron Paul on steroids!”

In order to make it to the big dance in November, Root must first win his party's nod by defeating former U.S. Senator Mike Gravel (profiled here a few weeks ago), former Congressman Bob Barr, and a number of lesser-known candidates also seeking the nomination. Andrew Davis, Libertarian Party spokesman, tells Political Grind that the total number of candidates may be close to 16.

“The Libertarian Party can't win being the same as the Republicans and Democrats-my being a small businessman, home school Dad, citizen politician, and son of a butcher all help make me more like the Founding Fathers,” says Root. “I'm the rebel with the pitchfork. Mike Gravel is a liberal, big government Democrat who was a DC politician for many years. Gravel stands for universal healthcare, the hallmark of liberalism. He believes in global warming-I believe it is a fraud. Gravel also believes that NAFTA is a mistake, as a Libertarian, I believe that free trade is a positive thing.”

Commenting on the recent announcement of former Georgia Congressman Bob Barr's entry into the race, Root notes that “Bob Barr and I have the same politics, but unfortunately, he is a lawyer and lawyers are the root (no pun intended) of the problem in Washington.”

Root sees a golden opportunity for Libertarians this year to run to the right in order to score a multitude of new voters. “If you are anti-war and liberal, you will vote for Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton-not the Libertarian. The proof is set for me by Mike Gravel, who ran in the Democrat primary system and got 24,000 votes. Ron Paul, who they laughed at and compared to Don Quixote fighting windmills, pulled in 800,000 votes or four percent of the overall GOP vote,” he says.

A Root victory in the Libertarian nominating convention would set the stage for a history-making election. Root, like Senator Barack Obama, was a 1983 graduate of Columbia University, which according to Root, creates the first presidential contest in history featuring two college classmates from the same graduating class squaring off against each other.

The role of government, the nanny state, and the nation's crushing income tax system underscore the major differences between the two classmates. “Obama is showing he is an elitist,” says Root. “I'm the opposite of him in every single way. Elitists like Barack Obama argue 'what are Wayne Allyn Root's qualifications to be president?' I argue 'what are his qualifications'?”

Root sees Obama as a typical politician who has “never had his name on one significant bill.” “Under an Obama administration, the Democrats will already have the cash in your wallet and will then want the change too,” he says. “Barack Obama is like going back to the future for the Democrats, nominating a candidate just like McGovern, Muskie, Mondale. He is a divider, not a uniter as he claims.”

Currently the leading fundraiser in the Libertarian Party race, Root will press onward to Colorado this May to face his opponents. Clips of the recent Libertarian Party debate in Kansas City featuring Root, Barr, and Gravel can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... arch_type=

Nathan Shrader can be reached at nathanrshrader@yahoo.com